Is a second harbour bridge, built alongside the existing structure, the solution for Auckland's traffic?
New bridge over troubled waters
It’s sad to see the Baltimore bridge disaster - my thoughts go out to all the families of the lost ones.
Think about this. Here in New Zealand, we have a similar structure in Auckland called the Harbour Bridge. I would suggest this is possibly one of the most critical sections of road in the whole country. Just look what happens when it’s closed - absolute chaos.
So imagine something similar happened to our bridge, a vital section of State Highway 1. Instant, complete gridlock, end of story. Game over.
Our bridge is maxed out and near the end of its life. It has served us well. So what’s next?
Days before the last election, Chris Hipkins released a proposal to bore three underground tunnels to Takapuna for light rail, bikes, walking and buses which would have cost between $30-50 billion (who knows?). With the implosion and self-destruction of the Labour Party following the election, it appears this plan is dead under the water.
So, back in the real world, here is my solution. Build a bridge. The same as the existing one, right beside the existing one, on the eastern side.
Graft it into the existing state highway. This will save billions and future-proof this vital connection. No consultants, engineers, expensive drawings, etc, etc. All the plans, drawings and engineering reports all exist on file. Job done.
This would free up the old existing bridge to allocate two of the lanes for the tens of thousands of pushbike riders, runners, scooter riders, cyclists on electric bikes, and people riding mobility scooters, go-karts, horses etc wanting to get to work every day.
The last time I checked, the Super City’s council is broke, and the Government is $100b in debt and going backwards. This is the most economical solution with regard to a very important decision to be made moving forward. Time waits for no man.
Douglas Anderson, Whitianga.
Financial quicksand
Steven Joyce wrote about his ideas regarding how New Zealand can get its mojo back (Weekend Herald, March 23). I find normally, I agree with much of what he says.
Looking for solutions to get us towards growing out of this current economic hole, he says, a big lever is encouraging international capital to invest here, and we are going to have to do something more than simply say “we are open for business” to attract them back.
Unfortunately, he chooses to remain silent on the National Party’s policy rammed through in the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023-24, Multinational Tax and Remedial Matters) Bill to remove depreciation for commercial and industrial buildings. This is a repeat of the same policy Bill English pushed through when Steven Joyce was a minister, so perhaps that is why he is silent.
The Inland Revenue Department, in its Regulatory Impact Statement on Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s current proposal, argues strongly against the proposal and says denying depreciation deductions will drive the hurdle rate of return for investment in commercial and industrial buildings (already the highest hurdle rate of return for the 38 countries in the OECD) up even higher and make New Zealand a less attractive location for investment.
So the current change is actually contrary to the country’s hopes of getting out of the economic malaise Labour left us in. What Willis might think is a pot of gold at the bottom of the garden is actually quicksand that will hinder our hoped-for recovery.
Neil McLachlan, Christchurch.
Separate study areas
The current debate regarding the appropriateness of Auckland University creating areas restricted to students of specific ethnicity has seen a comparison made with the rooms designated as “Women’s Suffrage Room”, “Rainbow Room”, “Pacific Room” and “Asia Room” in the country’s buildings.
Is such a comparison valid? My understanding is that these rooms were created and named to highlight and celebrate the diversity of New Zealand’s elected members of Parliament, and are used as select committee rooms.
I am not aware that these rooms carry signage restricting entry to members of the groups for which they are named.
Brian Milestone, New Plymouth.
Inflammatory language
Alumni will be deeply disturbed by Act and NZ First’s abusive and violent use of words in their foray against separate study and recreation spaces for Māori and Pasifika students at the University of Auckland.
They will also be deeply disturbed by the Prime Minister’s current weak response. It seems National does not know where to draw the line over their minor coalition partners’ behaviour.
Spaces have always been reserved for specific students. From the 1930s, women have enjoyed their own space, essential from the beginning when women were rare on campus.
Māori and Pasifika students are still under-represented and alumni could well say it is their university’s duty to address that imbalance, and it is up to Māori and Pasifika to say how they want that imbalance addressed.
Autonomy and academic freedom for universities are protected under law. The Government cannot require the removal of notices for separate spaces on campus, as Act is suggesting.
Worse, though, is the coalition Government’s use of abusive and inflammatory language, which is truly shocking for any decent, civil society - that term still applies to New Zealand, but for how long with this sort of behaviour?
Christine Keller Smith, Northcote Point.
Diluting languages
In her letter of the week, Marian Stolte raised some interesting points that deserve a response (Weekend Herald, March 23).
She cites the words “kindergarten” and “omelette” as two examples of foreign words being absorbed into the English language. The English language has been built up over many many hundreds of years , originally from the Germanic languages of the Angles and Saxons, and then added to by a plethora of different languages, including Latin (the most prominent), French and German.
Hence words like kindergarten and omelette, words the English language had no equivalent for at the time, came into everyday usage. These words are now understood throughout the English-speaking world.
English is the most-understood language in the world, and bearing in mind that for many countries throughout the world it is a secondary language, it is also the most-spoken language. When te reo Māori, in an effort to promote and preserve the language, was declared to be NZ’s official language in 1987, the intent by the architects of the bill was to encourage the use and growth of the Māori language, as opposed to having, as has happened, Māori words simply being scattered throughout everyday spoken English.
By doing so, both languages are being diluted. Sadly, rather than adding to the English languages, as words like kindergarten and omelette did, Māori words are being used to replace English words in common usage: the language is not being enriched. Rather, it is being altered to the extent that NZ is now starting to develop its own version of English.
Stolte mentioned going on to the internet, or to libraries, to find the meanings of some of the te reo words being used. However, many resent that they need to do so to once again understand the language they have been speaking all their life.
Stolte, however, justified this on the basis that learning more about other languages can be very enriching; many may well find that to be the case, whilsemany others will simply find it to be an imposition forced upon them.
It is good so many people in NZ are now learning te reo Māori. However, they should be learning it because they wish to learn it - not because a need to learn it has been artificially created.
Philip Lenton, Somerville.
Elderly drivers
Correspondent Lorraine Smith says it is elder abuse when there is a need to said elders to be retested for a driver’s licence (Weekend Herald, March 23).
Driving is a privilege, not a right, and people may be interested to know that drivers aged 65 or older are nearly twice as likely to die in a crash as drivers between 55 and 64, and drivers over 85 were nearly four times as likely to succumb to injuries resulting from crashes.
In 2022, 50 drivers aged over 60 died on NZ roads - more than twice the number of drivers aged between 15-19 and 20-24.
When senior drivers have an accident, they are more vulnerable and are likely to be injured more severely. As we age, our ability to process information and our reaction times are generally slower. This makes driving much riskier for the elderly, hence the testing requirements.
The test has nothing to do with discrimination or elder abuse, but everything to do with safety.
Mark Young, Ōrewa.
What a revelation the Gloriavale documentary is - hopefully, it might finally do the job the New Zealand justice system has failed to do over so many years. Why a system that systemically abuses people, especially children, has been tolerated for so long is both disgusting and disgraceful and is a sad reflection on this country. You certainly must admire those that have broken the bond and have spoken out.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
The recent announcement from TVNZ that the programme Fair Go is to be axed is nothing short of a catastrophe. Fair Go is our second-longest-running show, having been on our screens for nigh on 47 years. The programme is “our” consumer watchdog and has brought many miscreants or high-handed businesses to heel. Without Fair Go, many New Zealanders will not get a fair go, and quite frankly, Fair Go is not getting a fair go.
Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
Hector’s dolphins have been spotted in the Hauraki Gulf, which would indicate their numbers are increasing when, added to there not being one case of injury or loss of life to the dolphins the last time GP races were held in Lyttelton due to rigid safety procedures, one can only surmise Russell Coutts’ storm in a teacup was more a publicity stunt, for whatever reason.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
It breaks my heart to think of the Chateau Tongariro being empty and uncared for. I have always thought it to be one of the most beautiful, iconic and spectacular buildings in New Zealand, both inside and out, and the glorious view of the surrounding mountains would be seriously diminished without it. I fervently hope that this lovely building can be preserved and returned to its former glory. The cynic in me also prays the building has first-class fire protection systems.
Cathy Moreland, Kerikeri.
Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church crossing-painters in Gisborne are not protesters, they are vandals – pure and simple. They’re apparently very selective with regard to their Christian values of tolerance and love of one’s fellow man.
Ian Doube, Rotorua.
I know it would seem to some that National has recruited the old guard to look into or oversee upcoming inquiries and projects. I refer namely to Steven Joyce, Simon Bridges and Bill English. It would go against all their National principles to appoint left-leaning types; sticking with who they know is not new. Current Opposition parties have no basis to bemoan the appointments, they would have done exactly the same. History and a long memory has proven that.
John Ford, Taradale.
Why such a big fuss over a rat’s foot in a loaf of bread? People go to fancy restaurants and pay big money for pigs’ trotters, frog legs, fishheads, chickens’ feet , bird’s nest soup, etc.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
Considering the Port of Tauranga has been waiting years to obtain consent to build a much-needed berth extension, it will probably take 35 years to plan, obtain consents and build a new Auckland port facility. So in the meantime, leasing the current one for that length of time would appear to be a sound idea.
Gavin Baker, Glendowie.
While this Government is squeezing the life out of everything, it would be a good idea if they set an example of cost-cutting via all MPs taking a 10 per cent salary cut until the economy is healthy again.
Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.
Patients will be able to use one of two brands of HRT patch, but availability may vary.